Bougainvillea Barbados

E

The hotel is dated, but clean. The beachfront is very clean, and the water sports team is excellent. Chris from the water sports team took me out on the catamaran and it was an exhilarating experience. The waters were very choppy, but he navigated it like a pro. Thanks to Chris for a fun and exciting sail. Vivian, the bartender, was the best I ever met. He is down to earth and gave great conversations. The wait staff at Calabash, the on-site restaurant, were great, and the breakfasts were delicious.

Michael Oliveira

Place was nice, not to big. Beach and pool was perfect. Bar area was nice. Staff was really friendly. Lack of nightly entertainment. Location was not ideal as it’s not walkable to any points of interest. Bars and restaurants you need to take a taxi and find one to come back.

kabir mann

Loved staying at this resort. Beautiful beach with blue water and white sand. Spacious rooms and great for families. Calabash restaurant had a creative menu with high quality food. Great for families with kids.

Robert Beatty

We just finished a wonderful one week stay at Bougainvillea. The one bedroom suite had a view of the pool and the ocean beyond. I believe all of the rooms at Bougainvillea have an ocean view. The room was very spacious and included a pull out sofa bed. Additionally the room included a kitchenette (with a full fridge/freezer) and dining area. On the patio outside there was a recliner, a table with four chairs, and a rack to hang swimsuits to dry, which we found convenient. Note that there are no elevators at this resort, so if you have mobility issues perhaps request a first floor room, but we never found the stairs a bother. The location is very nice, on the south side of the island, next to the Sandals. I feared that the Sandals nearby would be loud and busy but unless you walked a fair bit down the beach towards them you'd never notice. For first time travelers to Barbados like we were, I'd recommend renting a car. We did and it was very helpful to have as locations like St Lawrence Gap and Oistins are a little too far to walk. I heard some frustrations from other guests who didn't rent cars as taxis are very expensive. Apparently there are busses and vans that drive around the island and are quite affordable, but we did not utilize those. Parking at the resort is free and there were always spots available. The beach did have some Sargassum but that's an issue across the Caribbean. It didn't bother us. There were always chairs available at the beach, we didn't have to play the difficult game of trying to save chairs all day. Seats by the pool are a little more difficult to come by but I say skip the pool, the beach is much cooler with a nice breeze. If you're concerned about shade, the guys at the watersports desk will bring out an umbrella to you and set it up wherever you like. Speaking of the watersports desk, they have a number of things like boogie boards, spikeball, and even cricket equipment for the Brits. Also, the resort does not have a towel card system, they just lay out towels for you to take as needed, which is quite nice. The water at the beach can be a little rough at times but I consistently saw children able to navigate the water comfortably. The service at the resort is exceptional. The ladies at the front desk took care of check in quickly and easily and even offered us a cocktail. They do have bellmen available to help with bags, which I suggest you take advantage of because of the lack of elevators. Unfortunately I forget our bellman's name but he was very kind, showed us our room, and even offered us some tips on places to visit on the island. The bar was a wonderful spot, and Sonja there was consistently a delight and made us wonderful drinks. They offer a happy hour between 3:30 and 4:30. The restaurant also had very good food, and Lisbeth the manager there was amazing. I don't know when she gets a break but she was always there making sure everything ran smoothly. At night there was often live music from singers or a steel drum, who you can watch under strings of lights on the deck by the beach. The resorts did attract a fair amount of families, there were often kids playing in the pool or on the beach, but it certainly didn't feel like a "family resort." Many guests there were couples and I feel like the resort does a good job of catering to both types of travelers. Overall, a wonderful experience and a place we are already considering a return to.

Samantha Wanjiru

Mediocre and dated - the only selling point is that the hotel is in a great location close to most of the things to do in Bridgetown and they have a dedicated beach front. Everything else was subpar at best from the dated rooms, basic food options at the restaurant. If you are looking to have a more vibrant and culturally enriched time in BRB for the same price point recommend to look elsewhere.